Investigations on stress corrosion cracking resistivity of stainless steels with different degree of cold straining

Within the context of the elaboration of a new approval for stainless steel s for civil engineering applications the question arised whether cold strai ning could adversely affect the resistance against stress corrosion crackin g. By means of experimental tests with different stainless steels it should be clarified whether cold straining increase the stress corrosion cracking susceptibility under high chloride loads like e.g. in swimming hall atmosp heres. The investigations were carried out using the high-alloyed steels 1.4462 an d 1.4529. As reference material with known susceptibility against stress co rrosion cracking the steel 1.4301 was used. The tests were performed using U-bent and tension specimens with saturated MgCl2 salt spots. Indications f or an increase in stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of the cold draw n steel were not found.